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Hours of Devotion: Fanny Neuda's Book of Prayers for Jewish Women

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As a 55-year old Jewish woman with no formal instruction but a long personal reading list, I have been devouring Hours of Devotion since I purchased it. This volume speaks to my heart in so many ways, and the Introduction had me in tears.

This is, indeed, a work of beauty and depth. Over centuries, these women have worked to share it with the world. Don't miss it. Hours of Devotion will become part of your soul.

Arlene Ross
Miami, FL

It is obvious this woman loved G-D. I happened upon my copy at work. We have a "free" book table in the lunch room and I found it there or rather it found me, WHAT A TREASURE. I am never letting it out of my sight! Fanny was very insightful in her prayers and I am glad that the woman who compiled this book allowed a new genration to share what previous generations had the opportunity to partake of whil maitaining the integrity of the book in the updated version. When sometimes in prayer I am at a loss for what to say, I find Fanny's eloquent expressions in prayer wonderfuly assist me.

Dinah Berland's lovely translation of Fanny Neuda's prayers has indeed provided a window into the heart of her sisters. These prayers are so beautifully moving that they will most certainly speak to you in a very personal way - even if you are not Jewish nor religious! This very much surprised me! The preface is a must-read as it provides the fascinating background to the life of Fanny Neuda and the book's evolution.

I'm not Jewish, nor am I even religious, but these beauitful poems inspire and encourage, no matter your faith. This new translation of little-known prayers luminously come alive for the reader through Berland's skill with the sheer power of words. The poems are applicable to anyone, but particularly for women, and on any occasion. Let the beauty of the prayers wash over you, providing a deep sense of solace and peace.

As an avid reader of Judaica, I have a special liking for women's prayer books. Poet Dinah Berland happened upon an unknown author's Hours of Devotion in a used book store in LA. Having just been estranged from her son, Berland connected to "A Mother's Prayer Whose Child Is Abroad" and bought the book. She loved the book, loved the prayers, and began to use it every day - morning and evening.

Miracles began occurring. Her son Adam reappeared in her life; she joined a wonderful new synagogue; and Berland just kept thinking about updating Hours Of Devotion. But first she needed to know the author. She turned to a colleague and bibliographer who uncovered the name of Fanny Neuda (1819-1894), wife of a Moravian rabbi, whose story is as interesting as the prayers.

Fanny Neuda was a brillaint rebbitzen who wrote an essay regarding the importance of religious education and the understanding of the Hebrew language to young women and published two volumes of short children's stories. She married a progressive rabbi and scholar, Abraham Neuda, who passed away in 1854, leaving Fanny a young widow and mother.

In 1855, with the support of Baroness Louise von Rothschild, Neuda published the first edition of Hours of Devotion. The book was immediately acclaimed, and the original version remained continuously in print through a 28th edition published around 1918.

This volume was considered "'the authoritative women's prayer book of its time.'" It was republished in a newly edited edition by Martha Wertheimer in 1936 Frankfurt and remained in print in Switzerland until 1968. This book survived concentration camps and great diaspora, passed hand to hand by Jewish women in hiding. Berland selected prayers from several editions of the book and restored them into verse, also reinstating the short biblical epigraphs that introduced each prayer.

The book is divided into daily prayers, sabbath prayers, holiday prayers, women's prayers, memorial prayers, healing prayers, and special prayers. Every life experience is addressed from working, poverty, prosperity, traveling, illness, death, success of children, recovery, childbirth, and the simple acts of awakening and sleeping. This is a beautiful book full of solace and understanding for Jewish women of all backgrounds and levels of faith.

This is a book I have found so meaningful I gave it as a gift to Jewish women who have especially touched my life. It offers prayers for Jewish occasions, for occasions traditional Jewish liturgy doesn't address (including childbirth!), prayers for women, prayers for both men and women. In today's world, in which men aren't "precluded" from opening their hearts, many of the prayers originally written for women may be equally meaningful for men. As a woman, I find meaning in every prayer - even if the title doesn't suggest that it would be relevant to me (I'm not a mother, for example).

Dinah Berland's introduction is just wonderful. It reminds me of a challah, in the way that it interweaves three stories: Dinah Berland's story, Fanny Neuda's story, and an overview of early modern Jewish history. It's dazzling, really.

September 10 post-script: I received the following words of thanks from my Aunt Matilda in Nashville, TN:
Many, many thanks for Hours of Devotion. It fills a much-needed place in life. It will be part of my days from now on.

For me, it was the prayer for "A Mother Whose Son is Abroad" that showed me how universal Fanny Neuta's prayers were. Although I am not a religious person, I found that the power of her words, and the depth of her understanding, made her prayers more the natural longing within every human heart than "religious" supplication.

Dinah Berland has, by translating Fanny Neuta's words into poetry, expanded even farther the reach of these prayers. What a beautiful collaboration was created between these two women, and how fortunate for us all!

Thank you so much for your profound and touching book, Dinah. The day after I acquired it, I put it to "divine use." My childhood girlfriend went under the knife to have a breast removed and just before they took her to the operating room, I was able to read her the specific prayer about someone going through a serious illness. It was like a healing balm. It give her such great comfort--because it simultaneously addressed her anger, her confusion,and her "why me?" monologue. She sobbed while I was reading it, and then thanked me sincerely. It was just what she needed.

When we ourselves may not have the perfect words of comfort to extend to our family and friends, Hours of Devotion can offer us just the right prayer for just the right moment, a prayer both honest and hopeful.
Thank you!

It seems true that "there are no accidents". Dinah Berland discovered an old copy of this book in a low moment of her life, and rescued it from oblivion, just as it rescued her from crisis. The prayers, while written in the 19th century, are simple, eloquent and heartfelt, and ring true. Ms. Berland has provided a fascinating context for the prayers, with biographical information about Fanny Neuda and autobiographical reflections about her own spiritual journey. Best of all, she has revived a treasure that was once beloved by generations of women, and was almost lost to us.

I picked up this book before Passover this year because I wanted to read a book of meaningful prayers for woman, and I must admit this is a great book. I have recommended it to many other Jewish woman. Dinah Berland's lovely translations of Fanny Neuda's prayers has indeed done a service to all Jewish woman.

These prayers are so beautifully moving that they will most certainly speak to you in a very personal way. There are prayers for many situations that modern mothers, wives and daughters will find useful to read and contemplate. I found that many prayers in this book brought me inner peace. I highly recommend this book.